Sanitary closet.



. W. WARREN.

SANITARY CLOSET.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.23.1915.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

awuzwtor W WWW,

SANITARY CLOSET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed September 23, 1915. Serial No. 52,208.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. WAR- BEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Centralia, in the county of Marion and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Closets; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in the sanitation of outhouses or privies in common use in suburbs of cities and in small towns.

It is a well known fact that flies and other insects will not be attracted to or breed in refuse to which light is not accessible.

My invention resides in providing an improved closet in which the refuse vault is entirely inaccessible to any rays of light.

Vith this general object in view my invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts such as shown in the accompanying drawing and which will be described in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 represents a central vertical longitudinal section of my improved closet; Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively transverse sections on the lines 22 and 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment illustrated wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views, 1 denotes a casing which is disposed over a refuse vault, as is common in devices of this character. This casing 1 is provided with an apertured top 2 and has communicating therewith a ventilating shaft 3 which al.- lows ready access of air to the interior of the casing, but prevents any light from on tering by means of my improved light deflectors 4:. These light deflectors or baflies 41 are preferably formed from strips of metal bent longitudinally to provide an attaching flange 5 by which they are secured to the opposite sides of the ventilating shaft 3. The deflecting portion 6 of the baffles extends outwardly from the side of the shaft as shown in Fig. 1, the extreme outer edges of these deflecting portions 6 extending somewhat beyond the center of the shaft to prevent the light from entering. These deflectors may be arranged in any suitable manner on the opposite walls of the ventilating shaft but they are preferably arranged in staggered relation to obtain the best results.

Right angular brackets 7 are secured to the top 2 adjacent the opposite edges thereof and close to the ventilating shaft 3, the upright ears 8 thereof being. apertured to receive a pivot rod or shaft 9, on which a seat 10 is adapted to be hinged. I preferably hinge this seat 10 by attaching alined apertured ears 11 to the opposite sides of said seat, the apertures in said ears being adapted to receive the rod 9, as disclosed in Fig. 2. A crank 12 is fixed to this rod 9 and is adapted to have its free end connected with a contracting spring 13, the free end of which is attached to one side of the casing 1. This arrangement causes the seat 10 to be normally disposed in raised position as shown infull lines in Fig. 1.

In order to prevent any light from entering the refuse vault through the opening in the top 2 I provide a closure 14 here shown in the form of a door hinged between the side members 15 of the frame 16 which is secured by any preferred means within the casing 1. This frame 16 comprises the side members 15 and the end members 17 and is adapted to closely contact with the interior surface of the walls of the casing 1, and has the flanges 18 extending in wardly from the side and end members, as shown. The flanges 18 project inwardly from the center of the side and end members, whereby attaching flanges are formed on each side of said flanges 18. This arrangement provides an opening which is adapted to be elosed by the door 1 1, said door being provided around its edges with the grooves 19 adapted to receive the tongue or bead 20 formed on the inner edges of said flanges 18 in order-t0 provide a joint which will be absolutely light proof. \Vhile not absolutely essential, I preferably incline the frame as shownin Fig. 1. One of the ends 19 is'disposed above the other, while the side members 15 which connect said ends are inclined upwardly from the front of said casing toward the rear thereof.

The door or closure 11 is provided adjacent one edge with a pair of apertured ears 21 through-the apertures of which a pivot rod or shaft 22 is adapted to extend, the opposite ends of said pivot rod being mounted in bearings formed in the side members 15 of the frame 16. This allows the door 14:

the connecting rod 24 to be opened upwardly through the medium of certain mechanism about to be described, when the seat 10 is occupied. Fixed on the shaft 22 is a crank 23, the free end of which is pivoted to one'end of an adjustable connecting rod 24, the opposite end of said rod being pivotally connected with the free end of the first mentioned crank 12. I have shown as formed of two parts, the adj acent-ends of which are threaded to receive a turn buckle 25 which allows thp'art's of my invention to be correctly adjusted. j

I From the foregoing description, taken in connection with Fig. 1 of the drawings, it isobvious-that when the seat 10 is occupied 'Orothervvise forceddownwardly intothe position shown in do'ttedlines, the door or closure 14-;will-'berais'ed to its dotted line position by means'of the connecting rod 24 having its opposite ends pivotally united with. the cranks on the ends of the shafts 9 and 22. It is'a'lso' evident that when'the seat 2' is allowed to assume its normal position the door "l4-wilfdropintoits normal position, thereby preventing any entrance of light into the vault below the casing 1. This upward movement of the seat when released, is accomplished by means of the contracting spring 13, thetension of whichopcrating on the crank=12 moves said crank tow'ard'the front of thecasing 1 and allows the: door to'return to the position shown in full'lines'. 5

This combination and arrangement of parts, as is readily evident, will prevent any flies or other insects from entering the refuse vault of the closet because of the absence o'f liglit therein.

WVhile I"have" described the elements best adapted to perform the functions of my' in- Ve-ntioHfitis obvious that various' changes "form, proportion and in the minor de tails of construction may be resorted to without departing from 'or sacrificing vany ofthe principles of the invention as set forth in theappend'ed claims. 5 Having thus described my invention, what I clai1nis:"-

i lvIn a' device'ofthe class described,'a easing, atop' therefor, a pair of'right angui-l'ar brackets secured -to said top adjacent the opposite side edges, the upright ears of said brackets being aperturcd, a seat disamw; 135115 air-i :1: i :11" 1\ posed between said brackets, alined aperturcd ears adjacent the rear edge of said seat, a rod extending through the aperturcd ears on said seat and through the first mentioned aperturcd ears, whereby to hinge said seat to the top, a light tight closure disposed within said casing, and a connection between said seat and the closure.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing, a top therefor, a seat hinged to said top, a substantially rectangular frame disposed within said casing and closely fitting the walls thereof, the end members of said frame being secured to the opposite walls, one being disposed in a plane above the plan'e'of the other, the side members connecting said end members being inclined, inwardly'extending flanges carried by said frame, beads extending upwardly from the free edgesof said flanges, a closure hinged to said frame, saidclosure having a groove adjacent its edges to receive said beads, and

means for raising said closure upon movement of the seat.

In a device of the class described, a rectangular casing, a top therefor, a seat hinged to' the top, a rectangular frame disposed within said casing and closely fitting the'walls'thereof, said frame being inclined upwardly and rearwardly, one. end being disposed in a plane above the plane of the other, flangesextending inwardly from the middle of each side and end of the frame and forming a reduced opening, the sides and ends of said frame on each side of said inwardly extending flanges forming attaching flanges to be secured to the casing, beads on the top of the first mentioned flanges adjacent their free edges, a closure having a groove adjacent its edges to receive said beads'ya 'shaft mounted in the attaching flanges of said frame, ears secured to said closure "and to said shaft, and a connection between said shaft and the seat whereby the closure will be raised upon movement therel i Iirtestimony whereof I have hereunto set y hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, WILLIAM w. WARREN. Witnesses: F RA'NK F. NOLEMAN, JUNE C. SMITH.

Washington, D. C. 

